


Scour

by magefool



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-02
Updated: 2020-06-02
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:35:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24510892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magefool/pseuds/magefool
Summary: A mother's reflection on the nature of grief in Ala Mhigo
Kudos: 1





	Scour

One's weeping could be muffled by the roar of the waterfall, and the spray of the mist off of the river would dampen one's face to disguise the tracks cut by tears shed in grief. This was the gift of the temple at Hidden Tear, tucked amid the rusty red peaks and canyons far upriver from Ala Gannha.

Hyur villages and miqo'te tribes frequented the temple, sharing and keeping space for one another in this most sacred of places. When the Wall went up, the rites and rituals were thrown out, forbidden and punished, but there remain some hints as to the temple's clandestine usage.

At the river's edge, near the steps, there is a stone. It is red, like many of the others, and it is round. It looks like every other rock around it, save for the faint indentations on one side of it. Trace a finger over the surface, and feel the smooth dip where once there were carved some letters: a light touch traces a J O R D- before the rock fades to smoothness. Jordie Farigan is remembered by his family, and the river, into whose embrace they slipped this stone carved with his name.

The rocks around the temple now are secret reminders of the lives no one was allowed to remember, some still sharply scratched and fresh, others scoured smooth and ready to use again for the next name. A sharp eye will see the names on every other rock in a wide stretch around Hidden Tear, and all the way along the banks of the river for a long way upstream. There are many grieving families to this day, even with the occupation of Ala Mhigo put to rest, and freedom restored.

There is a name missing from the river. There is a name not yet consigned to the healing rush of water, who, with time's help, will soothe the broken hearts of grieving family. She comes as often as she can, and sometimes she even carries the rock with her son in it. She has carved his name deeply, that he might be remembered far longer than she will be able to come, but she has not placed it yet. She came today. She leaves without placing the rock, or the name. She will not give him to death, to the temple or the water or the sweet, soft mist. The rock goes home with her, and she scratches another pass of the file into the name, to make it deeper.

A'panghur


End file.
